about

About me

When I first started this blog I was an American ex-pat living and working in Switzerland. Limited access to the mega-grocery stores of the USA I knew and loved was a faint memory. And since necessity is the mother of invention…this blog was born after I had to try to recreate all my favorite meals *gasp* from scratch.

After almost 4 years in Switzerland, we moved back to the U.S. to realize that in many ways we had become strangers in our own hometown. We found ourselves realizing Luzern had become home without us even knowing, we were missing things we thought we hated (no store hours on Sunday mean no chores on Sunday) and worst of all saying “roundabout” instead of “rotary” (damn you, BBC).

And while the genesis of this blog is rooted in our life as ex-pats, our love for travel will never die, Mr. KC will continue to be the best taste-tester I know, and I will carry on being a total mindless klutz in the kitchen. And with that, this blog carries on.

About my cooking

I’m not one of those people that can start this section saying “I’ve always loved cooking.” That would be a total lie. In fact, for most of my formative years, I avoided it like the plague. I am not nor do I pretend to be an authority on cooking. Years that I wish, in hindsight, I had spent with my mother and grandmother learning the secrets of how to cook all the foods I loved to eat, were spent doing other things–like anything else.

I regret that, of course, now that I have come to see why it was that they enjoyed cooking. It’s not so much about cooking as it is about feeding people. Seeing others enjoy your food makes it all worth-while. Cooking has gone from a nightly chore to something that I genuinely love to do.

With that said, I’ll be upfront about the type of cooking skills I actually have. I am the girl who:

burned rice krispie treats. At the time, there was NO specific instruction on taking the marshmallow/cereal mixture off the flame as you stirred it all together. I still take no responsibility for this and blame only Snap, Crackle and Pop. I should have billed them for the spoon and pot that needed to go in the trash because their “treats” turned into quick-drying cement.

set the ceiling on fire trying to make hashed browns. Did you know that if you leave oil heating on medium high for almost 30 minutes and then add frozen hashed browns that the result is a big ball of flame? Well, now you do.

set the toaster oven on fire making toast. There’s a reason why you butter the bread after toasting and not before, it’s called grease fire. Say it with me, grease-fire. Not good.

About my travels

While living in Switzerland, we traveled a lot–for both work and for fun. Mostly for work and even though back in Boston, I still find myself on the road for work. Before you get jealous. To someone who doesn’t travel for work, this may sound exciting. Sometimes, it is. Most of the time, it’s not. Business trips are just that. Business. I travel in economy, which is never fun, and most of my time is spent in a hotel and in an office. Of course, I do my best to make the most of what little “free” time I have by walking around the city and trying to eat “like a local”.

At least once a year, Mr. KC and I take a “big” trip to somewhere on our bucket list–usually in February when we’re sick of winter.

It’s a combination of these trips that allow me to write my “kc goes to…” entries.

Why klutzy?

Growing up, my mother called me “Grace”. It took me awhile to understand the concept of sarcasm and how I earned that name. If there is an open flame, I’m likely to burn myself. A crack in the sidewalk? I’ll be the one who trips. I regularly walk into door frames for unbeknown reasons and cutting myself while chopping something is not an “if”, but a “when”. My scars are war wounds and I remember the story, no matter how boring, behind each one. (Yes, there are several)

However, what I lack in coordination, I make up for in determination. I never let my two left feet (or hands) get in the way of my cooking or traveling.

Why blog?

No clue. Maybe it’s like my own online cooking/travel diary. Or my home-grown cookbook/scrapbook that I can share with the rest of the internet void. More likely though, it is my way of becoming even more involved with this crazy world of food and travel blogging that I’m borderline obsessed with. Whatever the reason though, for better or for worse, it’s become an extension of me and I hope you enjoy it.

Arrived here after looking at your freshly pressed,blog.I really enjoyed your “about” and looking forward to calling past and catching up on your adventures.I’m also and expat.Aussie girl living in Italy…Happy Blogging!Yvette

Hello there! I found your blog through wordpress! I think it’s amazing that you were forced to learn to cook. I would’ve probably done the same thing if I didn’t like to cook and lived in a place where eating out was really expensive. I love to cook though. I learned how to cook when I was little, thanks to my mother. She’s a great cook! I’m lovin’ your blog and I’m likin’ your hummus recipe a lot too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, ideas, and your experience with cooking. You’re awesome!

That’s really nice of you, Sheila, thanks. My mother too was a great cook, but unfortunately I didn’t spend nearly enough time with her in the kitchen. But thankfully I did learn to enjoy food and more importantly homemade food, which is half the battle. Hope to see you around more often.

Thanks so much. It is amazing how much smaller the world seems with blogs and social networking. I never go anywhere without some quick blog searches now. In many ways, they’re better than guide books.

Congratulations on being Freshly Pressed! You have a lovely blog – I have added you to my Bookmarks and look forward to your next post.

My husband and I are “temporary” ex-pats – proudly South Africans living in Mauritius on contract for the past 18 months and possibly the next 18 before returning home. Due to our temporary re-location, we brought nothing from home so I have become extremely creative while cooking with the bare minimum plus the additional challenge of having a very limited supply and limited variety of fresh produce. Hmm, not always fun.

I have recently completed writing and publishing a cookery book and started a blog to compliment it. I invite you to have a look-see at http://www.thecompletecookbook.com – I would love to hear your views.

Dear Klutzy,
Found you on Foodpress and just before I could move on I hit your ‘about button’ and before I realized, here I am opining on it…You have a wry sense of humor and a gifted writing style. Couldn’t stop reading! And you’ve got some great pictures to go with. Your roasted bell pepper soup is definitely inviting.
Will check back again.
Cheers..